


One Last Smile For You

by JenniferY



Category: Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Ending, F/M, Introspection, Solo: A Star Wars Story Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 17:04:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14794481
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JenniferY/pseuds/JenniferY
Summary: An alternate ending for Solo: A Star Wars Story in which Qi'ra can be more self serving and I can remove a most bothersome cameo.





	One Last Smile For You

Dryden’s body thuds onto the floor and Qi’ra can feel the weight drop from her shoulders.  She looks down at his corpse and thinks that she’s never drawn a breath this free.

The sound of blaster sliding back into its holster makes her turn to Han. Suddenly the weight’s back; less but still there. It almost hurts to breathe. _But why?_ Han’s saying something, approaching slowly, eyes trusting and voice soft. She responds back almost on autopilot, apology stumbling out in parts and then Han is so close and she kisses him. He kisses her back and she feels warmth gathering in her stomach and spreading throughout her body.

It’s a desperate kiss. She hopes that he thinks it’s from the fight that just happened but she knows. She knows that she wants for it to be like it was just as they were in the spaceport, free to do what they want. Free to be together. But she’s not that girl anymore. She can’t and _won’t_ be.

They break apart.

“I have to get Chewie,” Han tells her, still holding her close like he doesn’t want to let go.

“Go.” Part of her doesn’t want him to let go either but he has to. She smiles up at him. “If you’re giving the coaxium to the Cloud-Riders then we need something to pay for our ship.” She steps back from him and plucks a gem from one of Dryden’s displays. She rolls it around her hand and then tosses it to him with a grin. “Some more of these will do. Go get Chewbacca and the coaxium back. I’ll be right behind you.”

Han catches the jewel and nods at her. He turns to go through the doorway and then turns back to press another, less desperate kiss to her lips. She savors it and as he gets in the elevator she can’t help herself.

“Smile.”

“What?”

“What I thought of when I thought of you. Smile.”

He grins at her just like he did when they thought they were both free in a hotwired speeder three years ago. “I’ll be right behind you,” she promises again as the elevator door slides close. She lies.

_I’m sorry, s_ he thinks as she watches Han rush out of the ship to catch up to Beckett.

She walks over to Dryden’s body and crouches to get his ring off of his hand. Convenient that it doubled as the key to the startup of the yacht. Even more convenient that the extensive autopilot controls were accessible from here.

Fingers tight around the ring she sits down at the desk. As she plugs in the access code and twists the key in the ignition her hands are steady. She knows what she wants and maybe she loves Han or maybe she doesn’t but she doesn’t _need_ him.

The _First Light_ lifts off from the beach. She can see Han and Chewbacca through the window as the ship rises, Becket’s body lying in the sand. Han made it and he’ll be alright. He has the wookie to watch his back and no matter what he said in the tent- she knows he’s a good person. No matter what exterior he puts up.

She spares a final glance through the viewport. She thinks the receding figure of Han might be looking up. _Good-bye. I_ _might miss you but I’m not sorry Han. I need this._

The _First Light_ exits the atmosphere of Savareen and Qi’ra breathes, finally blessedly alone and free for the first time she can remember.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I knew that Qi'ra wouldn't be sticking around and I honestly expected her to die. She didn't though and I'm pretty pleased with that. But that Maul scene? I just found it a very annoying throw in. And I'm a person who has watched TCW and kept up with parts of Rebels( which doesn't this contradict that plot-line? Unless Qi'ra crosses Maul and dumps him on Malachor. Huh-I might write that...) so for someone just watching the movies this is completely out of the blue. Unless they haven't seen Phantom Menace and then I guess it's 'ohhh scary lightsaber guy'. I just personally find Maul to be over hyped and not interesting and am not impressed with Matryoshka-esque narrative of 'behind my scary boss is another bigger much scarier boss' that this movie decided to pull. 
> 
> Ramble aside- I did enjoy this movie. I am considering writing some more about Qi'ra, maybe? And of course if you liked Maul being included or other parts of his character, keep liking him. This is my personal opinion after all and there are many ways of enjoying Star Wars.


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